How accurate is it to say that the Weimar constitution failed to make a significant change from the previous political system of the Kaiserreich? Flashcards
Give two examples of areas of real change between the Bismarckian system and Weimar?
Structure of elections and Bill of Rights
Give three areas where change was not forthcoming?
Reichstag, Reichsrat and Judiciary
What 5 things did the Bill of Rights give?
1) Unemployment benefit
2) Freedom strike/union/assembly
3) Sick pay
4) Religion
5) Speech
What fact means that the Bill of Rights can be regarded as making significant changes from the system of the Kaiserrich?
By 1927 17 million workers were recipients of unemployment benefits
Did any such thing as the Bill of Rights exist under Bismarck?
No
What fact illustrates that no such system existed under Bismarck?
1500 socialists were imprisoned in the crackdown on socialists 1878 - 1890
In the weimar constitution, what was the purpose of the differing in the length of time between presidential and Reichstag elections?
To ensure political stability
How often would a president be elected under Weimar?
Every 7 years
Who appointed the chancellor under Weimar?
President
How often was the Reichstag elected?
Every four years
Through what system was the Reichstag elected?
PR
Whilst the President did change in the method in which he was elected, what colloquial term shows that he really did not change that much from the system of Kaisserich?
Ersatz Kaiser (Substitute Kaiser)
How could the level of change regarding the president be described?
Only cosmetic, the main change was the the head of state became elected.
What element of the Kaiserrich was deliberately not changed?
The judiciary
What 4 powers allowed the President to behave more like a Kaiser?
Article 48,
command of the Army,
dissolution of Reichstag,
appointing/dismissing chancellor
What would the chancellor be the leader of?
The largest party
What shows the extent to which the Judiciary was not reformed?
It was still so conservative that Hitler only served 9 months of his treason sentence in 1923-24
How did the Reichstag, Reichsrat and Budesrat change between the Kaiserrich and the Weimar republic?
The Weimar system changed the Bundesrat to Reichsrat. The (appointed upper chamber) Reichsrat’s new role was to ratify the laws passed by the Reichstag. The Reichstag could ignore the Reichsrat, and the problem was reversed from the Bismarck system.
What could summarise the changes in the constitution?
The themes remained the same, but a more demorcratic angle was put on them.